Some fans have wanted to see Jacobs make more starts but Clough says the youngster's inconsistency has been an issue, especially in away games.

Derby have the second worst away record in the division and Jacobs has found it difficult to make an impact, either when starting or coming off the bench, in away games.

"This season has been a big, big step up for Michael and we have seen glimpses of what he can do, and more than glimpses at times," said Clough, who watched Jacobs play for Derby's Under-21 side in the victory at Barnsley on Monday.

"We think Michael has done well in home games, less so away from home," added Clough, "but he is a young player and it is his first time at this level.

"It is a different game away from home, especially for a wide player. You have to be a little bit more disciplined and he has not been used to that.

"The home team has a bit more of the play and takes the initiative more.

"When we are at home, we try and do that all the time. We try and put teams on the back foot and a player like Michael comes into his own when we are going at teams.

"You do not always get that opportunity away from home.

"But Michael has got all the attributes. He just needs to get some experience in the Championship and he will be better for this season."

22 comments

I think Jacobs has been sacrificed as a winger due to the problems of the defenders behind him. I remember the first game we played against birmingham this season where he repeatedly skinned their FB, constantly making runs infield and being a real threat. He always had his head up, always ran at the opposition and never looked to play it back or to the side.
Yet all NC does is highlight his defensive short comings and focuses on that! Sorry but he is a WINGER and will be attack minded. You sometimes sacrifice the defensive side for what is being offered offensively. If you don't like that side of his game then why sign him in the first place?!

Id say that is it unfair to say their is no ambition at the club, What there is, is a lack of money being put into the squad. This in no way related to ambition it is merely related to a financial burden at present being elsewhere. Moneys going into the club are being channelled in a direction necessary to keep the club afloat, but not in the direction the fans want. Would you care to redirect the money to the squad at the expense of the club. Would you in all honesty say the current owners have no desire to see the club succeed??
Ambition
1. strong desire for success, achievement, or distinction
2. something so desired; goal; aim
[from Old French, from Latin ambitiÅ a going round (of candidates), a striving to please, from ambÄ«re to go round; see ambit]
I have noticed alsp that some on here are very quick to put NC down for not praising the players but when he does he's still in the wrong.
Now back to the story above. As a ex pom and now Kiwi I want to read how the team are doing not what you feel the board should be doing. Is this guy Jacobs any good or not?

ref. nzramsfan
Fair comment, but I recall someone saying "surround yourself with success and you'll be a success". The club have some good players but there is no aura of success generated within the club IE lack of investment and ambition; dead and boring. Why any young player will join us is beyond me.
Had a couple of weeks in NZ last month, great people and place.

Hi Guys
this story is one of NC stating that Jacobs is a good player on a learning curve and how much better he will be for a year for a year in the championship.
You guys as usual have gone of at a tangent and are back to the same old story, NC out, GSE out, No ambition, yada, yada, yada, boring, boring, boring.
I don't know why I bother reading this tripe every day
Does anybody have a reasonable comment about the story above?

Very good comment Johney
Sam Rush says that we can't continue being in the red and gates have a definite effect on this.
Nigel says that the future lies with the Academy and that not all of us will see the fruition of this policy. In the meantime there is no investment and seemingly no change of manager.
Ques- Would you go to a store or a supplier who says 1) Even if you can't get what you want you must continue coming to us because we can't keep making a loss. 2) It is likely that if you are above a certain age you will not get what you want. ?
Stop guys and gals and just look what has happened to our club and what they are even now promising us. I for one do not want what they are selling and believe that the owners must be encouraged to look for other opportunities more suitable to their business model. Further; encouraged at every home match, loudly and clearly.
The future of our club lies in our hands.

everyone is saying derby will finish of the season in a good position lets say about 12th again an build on next season with top six a target to aim for well I bet this time next season we will be again saying yes it will take 3 to 4 to get promotion to the premier league ya cant keep saying this some fans are getting brain washed by the gse bandwagon derby will go nowhere while gse are in charge of the club we will just be another middle of the road club in the old second division plodding along with no ambition to get anywhere

I believe JohnZFish that there are half a dozen who are very much on the fringes of the squad and consequently would only get the opportunity to make emergency performances through numerous or long term injuries to others. Whilst I appreciate that we have a small squad I don't believe in paying people who make little contribution to team effectiveness consequently it makes sense in my view that such players are not carried as virtual passengers. I would not necessarily replace them with another 6 who may come into the same category.
This may sound severe, and I feel sure that many may disagree, but only players who can make a significant and sustained contribution would be retained on the staff.
We currently have a staff of 27 including loanees both in and out and also including Freeman/Hoganson with 4 goalkeepers. When you can only select from 18 you have one third who are potentially surplus to requirements and therefore could be released.
I accept that we require 22/23 to adequately cover the squad needs over a season, and to not over stretch youngsters as we already have done with Hughes in his debut season at 17 years of age, consequently there are 4/5 who could leave the club without significantly damaging the effectiveness of the team including 2 keepers whose contracts expire this summer.
4 senior defender's contracts also expire in June as do 2 midfielders. As we have only 4 permanent strikers, 5 including Jacobs with Theo and Nathan having gone out, then we appear to have an excess of 1 keeper at the expense of an extra striker/midfielder assuming that, of the defender's contracts, at least 2 /3 will be renewed. That is why I believe that a defensive experienced midfielder would be a possibility as we do not have a player of that ilk on the staff at the present time and haven't had since Savage left the club and Bailey went out to Sky Blues - talking of which we may get James back as Coventry are subject to a winding up order currently from the owners of their stadium but his contract also expires in the summer.
The above analysis makes logical sense to me but there will be many who would take issue with these findings I feel sure so to a certain extent this is posted "tongue in cheek"!